The election of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, rate cap non-compliance, and the Chief Executive Officer Employment and Remuneration Policy were on the agenda at last night's Ordinary Council Meeting.
At the meeting, Council:
> Elected Cr Sarah Nicholas as the Mayor of Alpine Shire Council.
> Elected Cr Gareth Graham as the Deputy Mayor of Alpine Shire Council.
> Appointed Councillors as Council's delegate on the following groups and committees:
> Municipal Association of Victoria | Mayor Cr Sarah Nicholas and Deputy Mayor Cr Gareth Graham;
> Hume Region Local Government Network | Mayor Cr Sarah Nicholas;
> CEO Employment and Remuneration Committee | Mayor Cr Sarah Nicholas, Deputy Mayor Cr Gareth Graham, and Cr John Andersen;
> Rural Councils Victoria | Mayor Cr Sarah Nicholas;
> Taungurung Land and Waters Council Local Government Forum | Mayor Cr Sarah Nicholas;
> Alpine Shire Council Audit and Risk Committee | Cr Dave Byrne and Cr Peter Smith;
> Alpine Children's Services Inc. | Cr John Andersen;
> Goulburn Murray Climate Alliance | Cr Gareth Graham and Cr John Andersen;
> Alpine Resilience Partnership | Cr Jean-Pierre Ronco and Cr Noah Tanzen; and
> North-East Local Government Waste and Recovery Forum | Cr Gareth Graham.
> Noted two Capital Project Contracts approved under delegation by the CEO:
> Kerb and channel renewal 2025/26 to McPhersons Earthmoving for $149,352.00 (excluding GST); and
> Mount Beauty cricket nets to GABBA for $194,980.00 (excluding GST), fully funded by co-contributions from Sport and Recreation Victoria, Albury Wodonga Cricket Club, and Mount Beauty Cricket Club.
> Noted the unintentional non-compliance to the rate cap for 2025/26; and
> Declared rates and charges for the 2026/27 financial year at an amount that is no more than $168,713 below the amount of the rates and charges which would have been raised if Council was to apply the full rate cap as permitted under the Fair Go Rates System and set by the Minister for Local Government.
> Endorsed a new set of organisation values, being: Innovation, Collaboration, Accountability, Respect, and Empowerment; and
> Acknowledged the work in progress to transform the culture of the organisation, and continued to extend its support and encouragement to this initiative.
> Received and noted the (unconfirmed) minutes of the Audit and Risk Committee meeting No. 2025/26-3 held on 21 November 2025.
> Received and noted the Quarterly Budget Report – Quarter 1 2025/26 for the period ending 30 September 2025.
> Noted the payments to the State Revenue Office collected by Council under the auspices of the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund.
> Noted that the CEO Employment and Remuneration Policy has been reviewed, with the Mayor being the nominated Chairperson of the CEO Employment and Remuneration Committee, along with other minor policy updates;
> Adopted the CEO Employment and Remuneration Policy (V2);
> Revoked the CEO Employment and Remuneration Policy (V1); and
> Signed and sealed the CEO Employment and Remuneration Policy (V2) at the appropriate stage of the meeting.
> Received the summary of informal meetings of Councillors for November/December 2025.
To read the agenda and attachments, visit: https://www.alpineshire.vic.gov.au/about-us/our-council/council-meetings/council-meetings-2025
The meeting recording can be viewed on Council's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xorPczNDz8g